Child s vehicle



Dec. 21, 1927. 1,654,169

c. D. HIGGINSON CHILD S VEHICLE Filed Sept. 7. 1926 INVENTOR. Conmgz DoyleWgyinson.

F;l 5' ,6 18 ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CONNAN DOYLE HIGGINSON, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE A. PROCTOR, OF LOS ANGELES,

CALIFORNIA.

CHILDS VEHICLE.

Application filed September 7, 1926.

This invention relates to a childs vehicle adapted when a child is seated thereon, to be straddled and propelled by the action of the childs feet pushing against the surface over which the vehicle travels.

An object of this iuvcntioi'i is to provide a new, novel and useful device which is cheap to construct, sturdy, and neat in appearance.

Another object is to provide a novel device of the above character whereby a child in moving the device over a surface by means of the feet will be able to obtain greater es;- ercise of the legs.

Another object is to provide a novel device of this character which is devoid of the usual steering wheel but which may be easily and quickly moved in any direction by a pressure exerted by the feet of the child riding the same.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanyin drawing, the subjoined detail description and the appended claims.

The accon'ipanying drawing illust ates the invention in a form I at present deem preferablc.

Figure l is a perspective elevation of childs vehicle constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view with the skirt portion removed.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation with one-half of the skirt portion removed to show the interior cimstruction.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the sumo.

My invention comprises a wheel supported base or supporting frame 1 t'orn'icd of a relatively long and narrow or elongate member 2 that has a bolster or cross member 3 lixed to its rear end and an upright or post at fixed to its forward end. A brace in the form of a block 5 that is secured to member 2 and post atby suitable means, such as screws 6, serves to maintain the upright 4 in position. Swivel casters 7 that are preferably rubber tired, are secured to the frame 1 and provide means whereby the vehicle may be easily moved in any direction over the surface on which it is supported.

A seat member 8 conun'ising a wide seat section 9 and a comparatively narrow elongate portion 10 extending forwardly from Serial No. 133,866.

said seat section 9 is pivotally connected or hinged at its forward end as at 11 to the post 1: and is resiliently supported at its rear end by means of a plurality of coil springs 12 that are fastened in place by any suitable means such as staples l3.

The elongate portion ll) is adapted to be straddled by the feet of a child seated on seat 9 and coil springs may be of any suitable number or tension to provide the requisite strcngth for best operation of the device. Means l-lin the form of a chain is connected to the member 2 and member 8 to limit the rebound action of the seat member.

A head member 15, which may represent a horse's or other animals head, extends upwardly from the forward end of member 8 and is preferably secured to member 8 by nails or screws (1 so as to be movable therewith. The combined head and seat structure is pivoted at one end to the upper end of the post a by the hinge 11. Hand grip bars 16 are conveniently located on head member 15 and provide means onto which a child may hold when riding on the vehicle.

A skirtor apron 17 of any suitable material, such as awning, is secured around the edge of seat member 8 by means of upholsterers tacks 18 and such skirt depends therefrom to a point preferably below the base 1 and serves to cover the base and spring structure between the base and seat, and also to provide a neat and plcasin appearance to the vehicle.

A rope or other suitable llcxible member 19 is fastened uudcrncath the scat mcmbcr S and protrudes through an orilice 20 in skirt 1? and simulates the appearance of a horscs tail.

A saddle piece BL is secured to member ltl by tacks Q2 and by some of the tacks 1,8 and adds to the appearance of the device.

Advantages gained by my construction are that a child is afforded a maximum of pleasure in using the same, and will be able to obtain a maximum exercise of the legs due to raising the body off from the seat in order to obtain the up and down movement afforded by the spring support for the seat and which enables a child to ride a vehicle of this character that closely resembles a horse in appearance and action. Furthermore, the vehicle may be moved in any dosired direction by merely pushing the vehicle in the desired direction and I thus dispense with the necessity of a swivelly mounted steering post.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the device may be made with various heights of the post l and lengths of coil springs 12 to vary the height of the seat; or blocks not shown may be secured to the underside of the frame and the casters mounted in said blocks to accomplish that result.

I claim:

1. A childs vehicle including a base; swivel casters supporting said base; a post fixed to said base near one end thereof; a seat member; hinge means connecting one end of said seat member to said post; spring means extending between said base and the other end of said seat member adapted to provide a resilient support for the free end of saidseat member; a head. member extending upwardly from the hinged end oi said seat member; hand grip bars extending from said head member; and a skirt secured to said seat member and depending therefrom to cover said spring means.

2. A childs vehicle including a base; swivel casters supporting said base; a post fixed to said base near one end thereof; a seat member; hinge means connecting one end of said seat member to said post; spring means extending between said base and the other end oi? saic seat member adapted to provide a resilient support for the free end of said seat member; means connecting said base and said seat member to limit rebound action of said seat member; a head member extending upwardly from the hinged end. of said seat member; hand grip bars extending from said head member; and a skirt secured to. said seat member and depending therefrom to cover said spring means.

3. A childs vehicle comprising a base formed ot a relatively long and narrow member and having a cross member at its rear end; swivel casters connected to said long and narrow member and to said cro a member; a post fixed to the forward end of said long and narrow member; a seat member having a wide seat portion and a comparatively narrow elongate portion adapted to be straddled by a child seated on the vehicle; hinge means connecting said seat member to said post; a head member iixed to said seat member and provided with hand grip bars; spring means extending between said wide seat section and said base adapted to resiliently support said seat member at its free end; and a skirt surrounding said seat member and extending l'rom'said scat member to a point below said base member.

A childs vehicle comprising a wheel supported base; a post extending from the forward end of said base; a brace secured to said base and said post; a seat member hingedly connected at one end to said post and resiliently supported from said base at ts free end; a head member iixed to said seat member and provided with hand grip bars; a skirt encircling said seat member and em tending therefrom so as to conceal said base; and a flexible member secured to the underside of said seat member, said flexible membcr protruding through said skirt and adapted to sin'iulate the appearance of a horses tail.

5. A childs vehicle including a wheel sup ported base, a post tixed to the base near one end thereof, a con'ibined head and seat struc ture pivotally connected to said post, means for resiliently {-ltll]:)()l'tl 0' the combined head and seat structure agai fill pivotal mi'ivement in one direction and means direc connecting said structure and base for limiting the upward pivotal movement of the seatstructure in the opposite direction.

6. A childs vehicle inclruling a wheel sup ported base, a post lined to the base near one end thcreot a combined head and seat structure pivotally connected to said post a coil. saring disposed between the base and the combined head and seat structure for resiliently supporting said structure, and a ileuible inelastic connection between the base and the structure for limiting the upward pivotal movement of the structure.

'Z. A childs vehicle including a wheel supported base, a post fixed to the base near one end thereof a combined head and sea. structure pivotally connected to the post the seatott said structure being positioned above the base and normally disposed in substantially horizontal parallelism therewith. and u'icans for resiliently supporting said structure against pivotal movement.

8. .l'i child s vehicle including a. .vhcel supported base, a combined her. and sea t structure pivotally connected at one end thereof to one end of the base means for resulicntly supporting said structure against pivotal movement a. s 'irt encircling the seat and depending therefrom to coircesl the base and the resilient structure supporting means and a flexible tail secured to the underside oi the seat and projecting outwardly through said skirt.

in testimony whereof :i have hereunto set my hand at Les .Eingelcs California, this 30th day of August, 1926. 

